Burn Me Baby
by RenjiLuvah
Summary: A collection of \AxelxTifa/AkuFa/ one shots and drabbles. Now a designated place for the AkuFa club's 100 theme challenge. Various genres, long and short. Some \DemFfie\DemyxYuffie/ cameos.
1. Chapter 1 : Let Me Love You

**Hi everyone! I bet this is a surprise. Well I've been in an AxelxTifa mood and I was pondering if I should just put my random drabbles on my LJ but then again I wanted everyone to read it too so I ended up putting it here anyway. So I guess this will be my place for my AxelxTifa one-shots and drabbles, long and short as time goes on. Hope you enjoy.**

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**Drabble #1 : Let me Love You**

Tears trailed down the smooth porcelain skin of her cheeks as she ran through the busy streets of Edge. Running past people, children amidst in their laughter and the world running around her, her world was slowly coming to a halt.

Her head shook as she replayed the most recent events in her head. It was the same as it had always been. Cloud was always out somewhere, somewhere she was never sure of only to come back in silence. He seemed to grow closer to the children as time drew on but for some reason, he was always so far from her.

He was a man of few words and a man of few expressions. He was always hard to read, always hard to keep in her grasp. It would only take so long before her patience had finally run too thin and broke. Her will that she had kept strong for so many years had finally withered away in this one night.

She had always looked out for him. She had always fought for him without a flicker of doubt in her eyes. She had always loved him without a flicker of failure in her heart. No matter what she vowed she would be by his side for the rest of her life no matter what it took. Now she wondered what it was all for.

She couldn't dream of having a family of her own or a loving husband who'd walk in through the door and see only her. She knew very well and she had known for years already that there was someone else he saw. There was someone else that occupied his mind and shared his heart with her.

As much as she had come to terms with herself that this was okay and that person had passed on to another life anyway, now she was beginning to think selfishly. She began to wish that it were only her that his eyes would set on. She began to wish he would look at her as she had done to him all these years. Yet she knew that would be impossible to expect from a man such as her childhood friend. He'd always protect her, always hold a place in his heart for her in his own way, but he'd never be the dream she'd fantasize about only underneath her eyelids.

Him coming home at all and a subtle smile at the end of the day was the closest she'd ever get to a family. She told herself that she would be satisfied with that. She told herself that if she tried hard enough that her hopes would someday be fulfilled.

What she told herself were lies. Now she knew that. It was through the darkness that her eyes had finally opened and seen the truth. Who knew the truth hid in her own darkness all this time and she just chose to ignore it. She really shouldn't have…she shouldn't have.

It was through the realm of darkness that she heard it. When she was accompanying Cloud back from Radiant Garden back to their world, she heard it encompassing through her mind as she fled through the veil of darkness. It was a voice, yearning, reaching out from the depths of loss.

"Who are you?"

"Nobody…"

"What do you want from me? Why am I the only one that can hear you?"

"I just wanna come with you, to thrive from the loss in your heart and share your pain"

"Why would you want to do that? You don't even know me!"

"I know you more than you know yourself…"

The voice intrigued her curiosity. Even though it was a voice she had never heard before, somehow she had found comfort in its soothing tone. She sensed it. The loss in its voice matching the loss in her own, the empty gap that would never be full again.

As she saw herself coming to the exit of the realm the voice called out to her, more eager than before.

"Please…take me with you. I can't exist if you leave"

She wasn't sure what he meant by that. She wasn't sure if the voice in her head was a figment of her lonely imagination. She just knew that if she left this person behind, she'd never forgive herself. He seemed…so much like her and yet she had never met him.

"Alright, come with me"

"Thanks. I owe ya one. I'll see you soon okay?"

"See me? When? How?"

"In your darkness, that's where I'll be…"

That day was two months ago. The voice she had heard had slowly transformed into an image of a young looking man whenever her heart throbbed with pain. Whenever her soul swam in darkness, his form grew clearer and clearer.

He was there when she slept alone at night. He was there watching over her shoulder when she'd watch Cloud, pitying all that she couldn't have. He'd be there, residing in the twilight of her heart.

Tifa yelled into the night. Calling out for his voice. She could no longer hear it. It was gone from her head but somehow she knew he was still there. He had to be.

"Axel! Where are you?"

The brunette woman fell to her knees in the outskirts of the city. Cloud wouldn't notice she was gone or at least it would take him a while before he set out to look for her. She didn't care. She wanted to be selfish. She wanted his all or nothing. If she couldn't, if that wasn't possible, she didn't know what purpose she had to go on.

The children at the orphanage were her only comfort. They had loved her the most in her darkest days. She knew she would always be loved as a mother but was it so wrong to ask for another kind of love? Was it so wrong to want to belong to someone?

Lips quivering, her fingertips brushed aside the last remaining tears from her face. She stared out into the night as she sat on a cliff. Letting the breeze sift through her hair, she closed her eyes, waiting, yearning as he had done for her that day in the realm.

He had come back from the emptiness of an eternal non-existence, re-incarnated through her darkness. At least that was what he had told her. Somehow he was reborn, for some reason it was because of her. There used to be more like him and now he was the only one left, wandering in his loss. No one like him, no one to talk to, only memories of a past life to dwell on. All that he knew was now gone. He was left behind.

It was her that rescued him from his fate. It was her own emptiness that revived him. He would exist through her and with that, he was satisfied and wouldn't ask for more. But as usual, Tifa couldn't help but ask for more, to be selfish.

Her head settled in the cradle of her arms. She breathed steadily as she dowsed herself in her pain. Such a painful love this was, and it only seemed that she was leading herself face first into another one. Another love that could never be. What sane person could love something that only started in her head? Was it even really there?

Just as she was pondering this, it seemed that he had come to answer her question. He felt even more real each time. His presence appeared next to her body as he pulled her into his embrace.

She lifted her head to recognize the fiery locks standing around his mischievous smile as he observed her. Emerald eyes locked onto hers, his hand rose to the strands of hair falling over her eyes.

She sighed at the warmth and tingle of his touch on her. Leaning into him, she allowed herself to seep into this dream, this voice, this whatever this was. It didn't matter anymore.

"You called?"

She nodded without a word and he knew. He knew all that was in her heart although he had none of his own. He knew all that hid inside her, eating her whole. Only he could put it at ease. Only he could make her forget.

Her fingers clung onto the black material on his chest so needing and he allowed her. He arms held her close as he felt the darkness in her, the struggle between the light and darkness inside her. He kept her at bay.

Finally after a long pause Tifa could no longer control herself. Warm tears began to soak into his chest and he only held her tighter. His husky voice in her hair calmed her.

"Let me hold you when you're in your darkest hours Tifa"

She nodded.

"I wanna be your strength when you feel that you can't go on"

She looked up at him. This being without a heart, without emotions and yet he showed more than Cloud ever did.

"Why?"

"I know you feel empty. I've experienced that too and just like you, I want that emptiness gone"

He too had lost someone he cared for in his past, possibly more than one person. He too had goals and dreams he wanted to fulfill. He too desired purpose and was given none…until now.

Axel pressed his forehead on hers. He wished he could feel. He wished his heart would throb like it should if he had one. He wished he could share her every pain and her every joy. He knew that was impossible so for now he'd offer only what he could give, and that was his very existence to her.

"Tifa I- I just-"

She saw it in his trembling eyes. He wanted to love her. He wanted to give her what no one else would and he couldn't. This drove him insane. Little did he know that she was already satisfied with him and all he was giving to her. Nothing meant more than all that he would give to her.

She grabbed his face with her hands. All doubt aside she finally came to terms with herself that this was okay. She was loving a being that couldn't love her back but he wanted to. He'd give his very existence to see that she'd never shed another tear and that was why it was okay. Even if this was wrong in the eyes of others or all in her head, this love wasn't wrong.

She knew what he wanted to say but knew it wouldn't have any emotion behind it. So she said it for him.

"Let me be the one to love you since you can't love me in return"

Axel's eyes widened in surprise. She had accepted him. She knew he couldn't love her but she still wanted to be beside him for all that he could give her. A smile stretched along his face.

A low devious chuckle came from his lips as he looked down at the woman in his arms. She smiled at him in return. She knew what was coming, one of his smart lines. One of these would usually earn him a playful punch in the arm but it was things like this that made her love him.

"Let it burn babe," his smile was wide and her finger rose to trace along the black ink below his eyes.

With that he leaned in and pressed his lips on hers and she received it contently. Nothing could feel more real than this. This was more real than anything else in her life. Lips brushing against one another's lovingly and carefully, their embraces wrapped tighter.

For the rest of the night they stood together, enjoying each other's company. Tomorrow she'd go and talk to Cloud. She wasn't sure how he'd react to her falling in love with someone else but something told her that he would eventually accept it. If he really cared for her, he would allow her to have her own happiness without so much dependence in him. Then maybe the children would warm up to him. There was no doubt that the children's eyes would light up with joy at the Pyro's jovial personality and fire tricks. Somehow she knew that everything was going to be okay now.

"Axel?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks…for coming with me"

"No… thank you Tifa. You're the one that found me and because of that, I have purpose"

"So do I Axel…so do I"

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**Hope it was okay for something I just typed up today. I didn't really look through it for mistakes for please forgive me. My muse has been kicking me hard lately and its like I have so much I wanna write but I can't write it all. Hope that quenched your AxelxTifa thirst a little. It did mines although a bit fluffy and angsty. **


	2. Chapter 2 : Night Lights

**This is an inspiration I got last night. This takes place after the 1st ending of "A Nobody and a Somebody" in which Axel dies and Tifa has a son.**

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**Drabble #2 Night Lights**

"Leave it off mommy"

"Are you sure honey? All the other kids like to leave it on," Tifa whispered onto a young cherub-like face, poking from the Navy blue bed covers of his bed. She tickled her fingers through his brown spiky hair, the soft hair of her son. He smiled up at her softly, his eyes struggling to stay open.

He nodded with reassurance, "Don't worry, I'm not afraid of the dark".

Tifa titled her head at him with a smile. Not sparing any more thought to his reply, she leaned in to kiss him on his forehead. "Good night Roxas".

"Night mommy"

His large green eyes watched her as she walked over to the corner of his bed. She bent down to turn off the night light with a swift click. Some of the other children in the room sounded their protest with some groans and gasps. Others didn't bother anymore. They already knew how Roxas was.

Unlike the other children in the orphanage, Roxas had never favored a nightlight. Nothing had ever seemed to scare him whenever the kids would play at night. They always avoided the darkest corners in which he eagerly went into without hesitation.

Cloud often kept a keen eye on him, suspecting that he was somewhat different from the other children but never letting it show. His solemn expression would always change the moment little Roxas would run into his arms looking for a tight embrace, and knowing that he was not Roxas' father, he still treated him as if he were his own child. Still - there was always something that everyone felt, especially her, even since the day he was born.

Roxas, the son of her and the Nobody called Axel, he was different…

When she had first discovered her pregnancy shortly after departing from Radiant Garden with Cloud, she was both confused and overjoyed. She had been blessed with a child from the person who should've never really existed and yet, nothing was more real than he was.

Cloud willingly accepted this as well as he was learning to accept that she had loved someone other than him. That's why when the children at the orphanage asked if her and Cloud had went on 'vacation' to 'have a baby', to her surprise, he nodded yes and gave her a soft smile. He knew in a way, it was brought upon himself and he vowed to her that he would make up for all his mistakes by looking after her and this child.

Doctors were baffled. Roxas never kicked in her belly and never seemed to complain inside the warmth of her womb. Yet he seemed like any other healthy infant. Doctors joked _Maybe he's shy or maybe he's so happy in there, he has no reason to complain_ but she knew the doctors wondered if he'd be a still born. They tried to reassure the small tug in her heart that she kept hidden and she never let her hope fade.

When he was born, there was no sound. There she was, sprawled out on a medical bed, clenching Cloud's hand with all the pain she was feeling. Sweat beaded down her hair as grunts and moans of pain pinched from her lips. Even Cloud breathed heavily and added some sort of sound to the room. But when the baby had finally come out of her, silence filled the room. The doctors stared in wonder and shock.

The baby wasn't crying. Weren't babies supposed to cry when they're born? Isn't he cold? Doesn't the light bother him? Tifa panicked, demanding that she see her baby and wondering why everyone was so quiet.

"Is there something wrong?" Cloud also demanded in a tone both slightly threatening and concerned. The doctors looked up with dumfounded expressions, lifting a small bloody body into the air towards their view.

The first time she laid eyes on her son, she understood why the doctors had such shocked reactions. Yes, it was enough that he wasn't crying and there were even two small traces of ink beneath his eyes but – the expression on his tiny little face was almost as if he wasn't sure _how_ to express himself. The small crease in his brows and wrinkles in his tiny forehead almost made him looked confused and lost at what was going on.

A moment of fear seized her at the thought that maybe he was emotionless or heartless just as his father was, but the very instant that she laid hands on the newborn baby boy, he finally let out some squeals of content. It was almost as if only she was able to bring out any sort of emotion from him.

As he grew bigger each passing month, they'd watch him lay silently in his basinet, reaching his chubby arms towards the air. Then there were times when he'd cry uncontrollably. Tifa darted all over the room, singing every lullaby that came to her head and rocking him every way she could think of and yet – nothing would work.

Then one night she noticed his little eyes, staring into the darkest corners of the room, almost as if watching something no one else could see. It was that night, that she decided to turn off his little lamp when he slept and ever since, he slept soundlessly and peacefully. The darkness was his comfort instead of his fear. She didn't know what to think of it at the time.

At the age of three, both her and Cloud received the scare of their lives. It was early evening. The sun had just begun to set beyond the orange darkening clouds. All the children were returning inside to get ready for dinner. As she counted all the children coming in through the doorway, Denzel and Marlene ran to her in a panic.

Panting heavily, Marlene cried, "I can't find Roxas!"

Tifa dropped to her knees, cupping Marlene's tear streaked face in her hands. "What do you mean? What happened?" She was trying her best to appear calm although her insides threatened to explode into chaos.

"We were holding onto his hand one minute and then suddenly he pointed up and mumbled something and ran off," Denzel added with a look of concern, almost imitating Cloud's expressions. He always tried his best to be just like him.

"Don't worry, he shouldn't have run off far. We'll find him," she reassured them as well as herself. She convinced herself that she had control of the situation – that is until five minutes had passed and there were no signs of him.

A firm embrace with Cloud's hands stilled Tifa's frantic body running all over the streets. He had just returned from his delivery service and noticed the commotion. The look on her frightened face caused him to bring his bike to a halting screech and run to her.

"What happened?"

"Cloud I- I can't find Roxas. Marlene and Denzel said he ran off and-"

He didn't even let her finish before he released her and grabbed her hand, running back towards the house. "We'll find him"

They separated and continued to search, inside the house, inside the bar, around the woods nearby and nothing. Tifa eventually couldn't control the warm tears from spilling over her cheeks. Then suddenly she heard one of the children scream. She ran to the front porch to see a group the children huddled up, gasping and crying as they looked up in awe. Tifa looked up and her jaw fell.

Roxas was on the roof. He was looking in front of him, slowly and cautiously walking towards the edge. Tifa screamed, "Roxas no!"

His innocent eyes looked down to see his mother, reaching up and desperately trying to keep him from walking any further. He titled his head, baffled by everyone's reactions although he was quite calm.

"Sweetie, don't go any farther okay? Please, do this for mommy," she pleaded at her helpless son. He arched a brow at her and slowly raised his finger to point ahead of him.

"What honey? What do you see?" Tifa asked, not understanding what it was that was leading her son's curiosity to the roof. Roxas began to walk forward again and Tifa gasped in horror. Just as he was at the very edge, he stopped, still looking ahead but eyes wide as if something had told him not to go on.

In another instant, Cloud came and swooped him up into the safety of his arms. Roxas gasped from surprise and looked up at Cloud's worried eyes. Cloud eagerly embraced his body to his chest and ran back downstairs where Tifa would be waiting with relief. Once he was huddled between the both of them, watching as they shared words of relief and whispers of comfort, tears came from his eyes and he began to cry.

From then on, they locked all the windows to the top floor and kept a close eye on him at all times. Now it was confirmed that there was something, either in him or around him that led him about places where no one else would dare go beyond. Although his eyes still seemed to stare into the distance, Roxas now understood his boundaries ever since that day on the roof.

Two years had passed without any similar incidents. Roxas was now five and seemed just as healthy as every child in the household. Besides his late reactions with emotions at times, he was a normal bubbly boy who liked nothing more than to be around all the other children and be with his mother and Cloud who he knew as his father.

Nothing had ever seemed out of the ordinary but as little Roxas was nearing his sixth birthday, Tifa was beginning to sense that whatever it was that drew Roxas' curiosity began to draw hers as well.

Tifa jolted upright from the bed. Cold sweat beaded down her face and her hair stuck to her bare back. Luckily she was alone since Cloud would be out late running his delivery service. Gasping from shock, this was the fifth nightmare she had this week, or at least she thought it was a nightmare.

It was strange. All she could really describe was that her dreams were full of darkness. She couldn't see, she couldn't move and all she could see was little Roxas. Before she could ever reach out to him, he would run after something and vanish. She would reach out to him but to no avail. The darkness consumed her and she would reach out in a panic before waking up in a cold sweat.

Tifa cradled her head in her hands. She couldn't take it anymore. She _had_ to know what was going on.

Silently, Tifa made her way through the bedrooms and beside the bed in which Roxas was sleeping. To her surprise, he was already awake. His large emerald eyes stared outside into the night, almost longing to be veiled in it. Sensing his mother's presence, he looked up at her as she cradled him in her arms and walked out of the room.

"Where are we going mommy?" Roxas whispered up at his mother.

"I'm not sure Roxas…" Somehow she had hoped that her son would lead her somewhere, or maybe he'd explain things. Yet he was baffled, clenching onto his mother's hand as they headed towards the front porch.

She stopped at the front door and closed her eyes, Breathing calmly, she gathered her thoughts. _What are you doing? Have you gone insane? What are you looking for?_

"Are you looking for something mommy?" Roxas pulled on her fingers and she looked down with a gentle smile.

"I think so but I'm not sure what it is," she let out a soft laugh, "Sounds funny doesn't it?"

Roxas brought his finger to his lips in thought. Tifa watched, as gears must've turned in that small head of his topped with spiky brown hair.

Tifa got on her knees in front of her son. She cupped his shoulders in her hands. "Sweetie, do you remember when you went to the roof a long time ago?"

Roxas nodded. "Do you know why? Why were you up there?" Tifa stared into his eyes intently. He was quiet. Still in thought and slightly baffled. Just as she was about to give up and scold herself later for doing something so stupid, Roxas answered.

"I saw him" Before Tifa could question him, Roxas scurried off upstairs and Tifa followed. "I'll show you"

By the time they got to the door that led to the roof outside, they stopped. Roxas pointed and Tifa obeyed. She unlatched the lock above his head beyond his reach and grabbed his hand as she opened the door.

Stepping onto the dark roof tiles, she shivered with the night breezes gusting through her white nightgown. Roxas' small hand squeezed hers.

"Don't be scared mommy"

Tifa spun her head to look at him, eyes wide. Roxas continued, "Don't be scared of the darkness". He pointed ahead and she stared at nothingness.

"I don't understand. What- what do you see?"

Right then, Roxas let out a small huff of frustration before releasing her hand. She gasped and reached out but he ran. "Don't worry mommy. Daddy won't let me fall".

"No honey, daddy's not here right now. It's not safe!" She pleaded to her son as she dashed forward, ready to rescue her son from danger but she stopped as Roxas stopped at the edge, just like he had two years before.

"R-Roxas?" Her hands trembled, unsure of whether to grab him or to watch as events unfolded.

Roxas tilted his head, grinning widely and jester-like - just like – just like Axel. Just like his father. He laughed mischievously and flapped his arms, "Here I go mommy".

"No, don-" Tifa's jaw dropped as her son stepped off the roof and his body fell. She rushed forward but came to a halt as she saw his head poking up from plain air. Her eyes widened in amazement as her son now lifted into the air near the roof. He wasn't holding onto anything and yet – it was like he was flying. It was impossible.

Roxas only giggled at his mother's reaction. "Mommy you're so blind. He says that you're not seeing right"

_No, it couldn't be…could it?_ A newfound hope and pain reopened in her heart. She had shut it away for so long, for the sake of living a new life and bringing up her son happily. Now that she was here, now that the curiosity had reached its peak, she couldn't help but thirst for that presence once more although it was sinful.

"Who are you…" Her words trailed off. She wasn't sure if she wanted to ask because she was afraid of the answer. Her son reached up and his body flung around in the air in circles. He laughed like she hadn't seen him laugh in a while.

_Don't be scared of the darkness._

It was true. All these years she had shut herself off from dark places, shut herself off from remembering painful memories. All these years she had pretended not to notice her son's fascination with the darkness and his stalled ability to express emotions. She had been afraid of what lied there in the dark, waiting for her. Now she had no choice but to follow it, just as her son was doing.

Tifa squinted her eyes. Releasing her fears and accepting all the things she had denied all those years. She had loved Axel, no - she still loved him. She had felt lost after he vanished and although she tried to hide it, she missed him painfully. She knew her son was different and yet, she never let herself understand him the way she should've.

"Axel- are you there?" Tifa whispered cautiously. Tears streamed down her face. She couldn't bare the thought of her worst fears being confirmed. Better yet, her deepest desires that she only feared because of what they meant.

Tifa watched her son continue to spin around, squinting her eyes harder. _I want to see. I'm not afraid of the darkness. I want to see in the dark._

She neared the roof step by step, releasing all her fear. Finally at the edge, she stopped. Her lips agape and her eyes brimming with even more tears as the image began to grow clearer.

There he was. Axel. She could barely hear him just yet but she was beginning to make out the blur of colors cradling her son's body. In moments, it was clear, his image and his voice. From the ink below his lively green eyes and his fiery spikes of hair, he was there, dancing in the air.

Axel grinned widely, mirroring his own son's expression and they laughed together joyfully. Lifting his son into his hands, he spun him around and around; Little Roxas was having the time of his life and was not at all afraid or uncomfortable. It was as if, he had always known who he was.

Finally Axel lifted Roxas on one arm, leaning in to press a kiss onto his small forehead. Roxas replied with a content squeal and sleepily rested his head on the black material on Axel's shoulder.

Tifa stood there, frozen and still confused. She was seeing it but she still couldn't help being afraid. She had lost him once. It was too much. She couldn't lose him, not again.

"Tifa" he called onto her softly. He offered his free hand to her and her knees grew weak. _Had she gone insane? Had her mind finally driven her to hallucinate about her lost love? Was this just another dream?_

Without another moment's thought, she jumped and ran across to him, not caring that it wasn't possible to fly and that this couldn't be happening. Her son was there so it had to be safe right? She had to trust her son. She had to trust him.

Rushing into his embrace, the feel of his rising chest on her nose made her sob harder. Axel stroked her hair lovingly and hushed her. She raised her misty eyes to his and he nuzzled his nose to sleeping Roxas, gesturing not to disturb his peaceful slumber.

"How- how are you here?" She brought her fingers to trace over his face just as she had done years ago. He leaned into her warmth and grinned.

"I've always been here"

Tifa's eyes widened. Now she understood so much. Why Roxas wasn't afraid of the dark. Why he always seemed to be following something, looking for something. Why he slept so peacefully without a nightlight. It was because his father was there, residing in the darkness and watching over him in his own way. Ever since he was born, Axel was there, beside his basinet and watching over their rooftop.

"I'm sorry. I didn't wanna ruin the party for you," he pressed his forehead on hers and laughed. She couldn't help but smile back. In other words, he wanted her to live happily. He couldn't live the life the way he once had and in the shadows was the only way he could watch them.

She didn't know how he was there, what to call him. A ghost - of something that didn't exist? A spirit? A shadow? She shook the logic from her head. She didn't bother trying to explain him before and she wasn't about to do it now. The only thing that mattered was how he felt and he felt real.

Clutching his collar in her shaking hands, she pleaded him with her eyes. She wanted to kiss him but at the same time, she felt as if it were wrong to Cloud. Cloud had done nothing but good to her after they had returned from Radiant Garden and she had once again devoted herself to him in return. Yet looking up at Axel's handsome young face once again brought about all her memories she had kept locked away for so long and it was too tempting.

Sensing her inner turmoil, Axel leaned in and eagerly pressed his lips onto hers. Gripping her waist tightly in one arm and their son in another, he left her no room to protest. Tifa grabbed his face in her fingers, almost hungrily as her tears fell onto his cheeks. He didn't seem to mind.

Kissing him still had the same effect on her after all these years. Warmth spread all over her body as if it were their very first kiss. His lips were moist and careful on hers, tasting her and taking his time cherishing their every moment just as he always did. Her knees threatened to fall over and he was her only support. It saddened her to know a moment as good as this one wouldn't be able to last very long.

Separating from his lips in a last lingering brush of their lips, Tifa leaned into the crook of his neck. Axel leaned his head on hers and sighed.

"Now isn't this a family photo?"

Tifa laughed. Still sarcastic, still the same man she loved. Roxas stirred in his arm and they both turned to him.

"I think the little tyke will be more comfortable in his own bed now"

Tifa wanted to shake her head and stay there forever but she knew she couldn't. He saw the pain surfacing in her eyes and his fingers brushed aside her bangs.

"Don't fear the darkness and you'll see me more often babe. Live happy and don't let me be a party pooper"

Tifa offered him a mild smile as she looked up at him. She trusted in his words. After all he was always there, she was just too afraid to see. Afraid of the darkness in which he once led her into and her son was a part of.

"Axel I-" His finger stopped her words with a nod.

"I know Tifa. I know" He pressed his lips on hers once again before he released her on the roof. He lifted their son into her arms and smiled.

"He's gonna be a lady killer when he gets older," Axel joked as he began to fade into the night.

Tifa laughed through her tears, "Yeah, I wonder where he got _that_ from".

With the turn of his black coat, he was gone into the shadows of the night. Little Roxas was sound asleep in her arms.

So all this time he had grown to know who his real father was and yet, he still loved Cloud and called him daddy as well. What a lucky child he was, to have such a loving mother and two men that loved him very much. How lucky she was, to have such a beautiful boy.

Slipping him into his covers, she pecked him a kiss goodnight and he smiled in his sleep. Looking back for an appreciative moment, she finally retreated upstairs with her heart pounding, full of pains and happiness.

From that moment on, she decided that she'd close the curtains to her room and let the darkness envelope her. Her nightmares had stopped and only turned to sweet, blissful memories of the days her and Axel had spent together. At night, she unlocked the roof door without Cloud knowing, just so Roxas could have the small bit of father – son time he had always longed for but was shielded from because he was misunderstood. And sometimes, she'd take a visit up there too, back into the darkness to indulge in her sinful lost love even for just a moment.

It was her little secret and now as she watched the children sleep at night, she couldn't understand how the children slept in anything other than darkness.

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**Hope it turned out ok. I didn't spell check it and I couldn't really end it as well as I would've liked. I just wanted to make something nice about little Roxas meeting his daddy. I dunno, something about Axel being a daddy makes me love him more.**


	3. Chapter 3 : A bit of Fatherly Warmth

**Some winter fluffiness, a bit AU. What happens when Axel is left home alone to care for his sick son? What could possibly go wrong?**

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**Drabble #3: A bit of Fatherly Warmth**

Fingertips gently lingered over small eyelids, encrusted in tender lashes. A round, cherub-like face nipped contently on the small thumb inserted between his petite lips. Axel traced his fingers over his son's features, watching him as his chest rose in strained but peaceful breaths. His forehead was hot and his little nose, congested. It's round tip pink from all the tissues that had mercilessly chafed against it.

He had been knocked out for a few hours thanks to his mother's miracle working and a spoon of pungent 'cherry flavored' medicine in which little Roxas was dead set against taking.

Axel smirked at the brief memory of Tifa earlier in the day, coaxing her son with sweet words as she sung and danced the spoon in the air towards Roxas. With a suspicious look about him, Roxas just shook his head and pinched his lips, refusing to open up for his mother.

"Roxaaas!" Tifa stretched his name in that mother-like tone that told him she had it in for him if he didn't listen. With a last pleading look over to his father behind her, who shook his head, he opened his mouth with a roll of his eyes. The sour twist in his face afterwards was probably the most amusing thing Axel had set eyes on all day.

He was very precocious for a three year old, and very much like his father. At times even he had to step in and play the authority figure to remind his son that not every time was playtime.

Now he was apparently at peace, the medicine in effect as he napped in his mother and father's bed. The covers wrapped around him tightly and only the small mane of light brown hair poked onto the pillows. He looked like he was drowning in such a large bed but little Roxas didn't seem to mind.

After a moment of checking up on his son, Axel retreated downstairs. The orphanage children ran towards him, stretching their arms, eager for embraces and pleading for entertainment.

Axel mused at the thought. Cloud was the looming, protective father figure in which they had all admired and the boys wished to be. Axel was the one to come along and lighten up the atmosphere with fire tricks and such. He was like the big brother they never had and occasionally he joined in on their pranks against Cloud. Sometimes he was the one to plot their schemes, although he knew he shouldn't try his patience since he was already living under Cloud's roof without being assassinated in the middle of the night. Still – he couldn't resist a little fun when it arose.

Ruffling their hair with a laugh, he asked, "Where's your mother?"

A small pig-tailed girl bopped her head at Axel, "She's outside. I think she's gonna run some errands".

Breaking through the crowd of admirers as well as playmates with some effort, he managed to make it through the front door. From the window, he could see Tifa nodding her head at Cloud in the midst of conversation. Cloud was on his bike as if ready to take off somewhere. Axel stepped outside and announced his presence by clearing his throat rather obviously.

The air was cool outside and the sky unwelcoming. Judging by the moisture in the air, a storm was sure to pass by.

Tifa tilted her head to the side and smiled. With her hands folded behind her back, she rocked on her heels. Cloud only acknowledged him with a brief nod and a slight gesture of annoyance.

Somehow, Cloud had managed to come to terms with the pyro's existence despite how he shielded Tifa from him some time ago. As long as they shared that one goal, to watch over Tifa and the orphanage, he had put aside their differences. Although, moments like this, he was almost tempted to unsheathe his collection of swords and slice off that mocking smirk on Axel's face. Strange how Tifa saw something in that same irritating look pasted on him.

"Where ya heading babe?" Axel showed no shame in his pet calling towards the brunette bombshell, now the mother of his child.

Tifa laughed at the two men before her, glaring murder at one another with smiles like two jealous schoolboys. "Roxas' medication ran out so I'm gonna hitch a ride to Edje with Cloud before he heads out for his deliveries. I also need to see about his doctor because I can't seem to get in touch with him".

Axel eyed the murky skies again with a frown. "You sure about that? Looks like another storm's gonna roll in".

"Don't worry. I'll make it back before it comes," Tifa gave him a soft kiss on his cheek before walking back towards Cloud. He was already on his bike, hands gripping the handles as Tifa threw her leg over and hopped on behind him. A large lump formed in Axel's throat, watching his lover wrap her arms around her former lover's waist so carelessly.

Of course he trusted her, so that wasn't the issue. It was knowing Cloud had the satisfaction that he was taking her into town with her arms on his waist, reminding him that some things of the past would never change.

The engine rumbled and spurted, Cloud turned back slightly to his childhood friend accompanying him. "Ready?" She nodded and gave a wink back to comfort Axel watching them.

The wink warmed Axel. He swore she was the only one keeping him from unleashing his Chakram and charging at Cloud like he had done in the old days back in Radiant Garden.

"Keep an eye on the children," Cloud advised Axel. This time Axel couldn't help the cringe pulling at his top lip.

Although Cloud carried himself so solemnly and said things so calmly, he couldn't help but feel that inside, Cloud was tipping himself over in a fit of laughter. The small tug in Cloud's lips confirmed that. He had won this round. _Damn him._

"Catch you later then gorgeous," Axel waved, holding the front door in his other hand. Tifa was about to respond before Cloud sent them off with a jolt and they swerved onto the road. Keeping his eyes on them until they vanished, Axel shook his head spitefully.

"Don't worry spikes. The next prank I do with the kids, I'll make sure I take this into consideration with my planning".

Axel closed the door behind him with a sigh. It took a moment before Axel observed the hall and realized his mob of leeches was cleared across the floors. Now where could they have all gone? If he had a heart, this would be the time when it would thump with anticipation and a feeling would crawl through him, telling him something bad was coming. Although he didn't have one, something still beckoned him.

This – this would not be his day. As if confirming his very thoughts, Marlene came running down the stairs.

"Tifa! Cloud! Axel!" Her troubled face was flushed with panic as she trotted towards him. Fisting his black robe desperately, she looked up at him with glassy eyes.

_Aww man - why me?_

"What's wrong kiddo? You okay?" Axel bent down on one knee and cradled her shoulders the way he had seen Tifa often do. Marlene nodded, rubbing one eye before whispering, "It's- it's Roxas".

If he had a heart, it would've dropped at those very words.

Axel ran up the stairs as fast as his legs could take him with Marlene dragging on his fingers. Finally giving up, he lifted her up with one arm and secured her with the other before making it up the remainder of the staircase. A shrilling cry ringing across the halls alerted him of his son's whereabouts. It led him to his bedroom where all the children crowded about in curiosity and tried to comfort the little tyke.

"Roxas, where are you?" His father called through the crowd. They cleared to let him through and Marlene released her hold on him.

"I tried to comfort him like I did when Denzel was sick but it didn't work," Marlene tried to explain herself and Axel nodded in understanding.

"Roxas, what's wrong?" Axel took a hold of his son's shoulders just as he had done Marlene's, although it didn't seem to have the same comforting effect.

Roxas didn't answer. His flattened, sticky hair stuck to his cheek showed he was fresh from sleep. His nose was still pink and his face just seemed to shade more crimson with the heavy cries and breaths he emitted.

"Roxas-" Axel was cut off when suddenly Roxas' high pitched scream shook the room, making all the children cover their ears in agony. Axel cringed; he swore his eardrums must've popped with that one.

Tears gushed down the boy's cheeks and down his chin. The collar of his shirt was beginning to get soaked. His body was sweaty; the poor kid must've felt miserable.

"Roxas I can't-"

The screaming grew louder. Some of the children fled the scene, gripping their ears at the noise. Others withstood it in hopes to see how the scene unfolded.

"-help you if you don't-"

"My head hurts! Ahhh!"

Ok that was a start.

Axel removed his glove to press his palm against Roxas' clammy forehead. It seemed like his fever went down. It was just a matter of his cold. The headache was most likely a sinus headache but his crying wouldn't make it any better. Now how would he explain that to a three year old?

"Ok well how about-"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Blazes! He never realized how loud his son's screams were. It almost brought tears to his eyes to be in such close proximity to his piercing yells.

"Stop-".

"MY HEAAAD! I CAN'T BREATH!"

Axel's fists clenched every time he screeched. By now the room was clear and there was no aid for him.

"Stop yelling and it'll get better!" Axel suddenly blurted out a bit louder and meaner than intended. A twinge of guilt surged through him until his son's face suddenly went blank.

Roxas looked up at his father, blinking profusely and still holding his head.

A bit of hope ignited in him. _Did it work?_

Then his son's face twisted again, eyes wincing and lips quivering even more. "MOMMMY!"

_Oh_ _great – I made it worse!_

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"Axel, What're you doing?"

"Trying to find something – anything!"

Denzel tilted his head quizzically at the Nobody in the kitchen, ripping random bottles off the cabinet shelves.

Axel couldn't think straight. The sharp screeching bellowing from upstairs were like nails on a chalkboard. Every scream and cry for mother just made Axel want to scratch his own eyes out.

_OhGodOhGodOhGod! Please Stop!_

"M-Marlene's still upstairs with him right?" Axel frantically continued to search in hopes that the remedy to his problem would somehow appear in bottle form in front of him.

Denzel shook his head in disapproval, "Yeah she's still up there. It's a shame really".

"I'm sorry what?" Axel's head spun towards the Cloud wannabe, shaking his head as if he knew any better than he did.

"Mom doesn't have this much trouble with him".

That was just like Cloud, to go ahead and say something that would hint that he couldn't measure up to Tifa and therefore shouldn't be with her. At least that was the way he'd take it. Now here was Denzel, mouthing off Cloud-like words in his absence.

His knuckles paled with the death grip around the bottles, Axel cringed at Denzel with a shake of his own head. "He would be SO proud of you".

"Who?"

"Don't act like you don't know. Now are you gonna help me or stand there?"

"You're not gonna find anything. That's why mom left with Cloud, to get more medicine".

There he goes again, saying something completely unnecessary.

Axel cleared his throat, trying to be calm. Suddenly a devious thought struck him and he turned back to Denzel, setting the bottles back on the counter. Denzel began to back away, deciding that he didn't like the catty grin growing on Axel's face.

"So Denzel, are you feeling cold?" Axel started to slink down, meeting gazes with the young boy.

Denzel stuttered, "N-no. Why are you asking that?"

Axel snapped his gloved fingers, igniting a small flame to appear at his fingertips. Denzel's eyes grew wide at the orange fire slowly making its way between their gazes.

"Oh no," Axel shook his head again. He really didn't mean to threaten him, but it wouldn't hurt to scare him a bit since he was pestering him anyway. "I think you are cold. Maybe a little FIRE can warm you up!"

Axel's grin grew into the most scariest and slyest expression, causing Denzel to run away in fear. "I'm telling Cloud about this later! You're evil!"

Axel stood upright again, his fingers going out in a swirl of smoke. "I know and you can tell Cloud I said that too!"

The Nobody growled in frustration. There was no medicine, no cough drops, no painkillers, anything that would help his son feel the least bit better.

The phone ringing through the room interrupted his thoughts. He picked it up with a roll of his eyes.

"Axel?"

Oh. He had forgotten to say hello.

"Yeah babe, it's me".

"Axel, I'm stuck in Edje because of the storm. I got the medicine but I'm afraid it'll take a little longer for me to get home".

Without meaning to, Axel groaned painfully. Catching the hint, Tifa asked, her voice full of concern, "Is everything alright there?"

It was tempting to tell Tifa that their son was making his ears bleed and beg her to come as soon as possible and rescue him. However, his pride wouldn't allow her to know how much of a sucky job he was doing at being a father. He would have to try and deal with this alone. He could make it until she came back.

"Everything's fine here Tifa, what about the doctor?"

"The doctor said he can see him tomorrow. He just had so many patients, it was hard to get a hold of him by phone".

"Mmm. And Cloud?"

"The rain's slowed him down a bit too but after his last delivery, he promised to come and get me as quickly as possible".

_Oh Joy. Promised you huh?_

"Are you sure everything's okay Axel? I think I hear crying in the background".

Just then, Axel faked a loud, jester laugh. "Oh must be the rain. Making you hear things".

A pause on the phone told him she was suspicious but she obviously decided to take his word for it. "Okay then, I'll see you later. I'll be there as soon as I can".

"Don't sweat it. It's aaaall under control here".

When he hung up the phone, he couldn't help but feel a little bad for telling a little white lie to his lover. It was a little one, wasn't it?

_Okay that's it! Back to business!_

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Luckily Axel had found some cotton to stuff in his ears because when he got back up to the bedroom, it seemed that Roxas' screams pitched up in volume. Marlene had a look about her face that said she too, was getting a migraine off of Roxas but her small motherly instinct that she learned from Tifa kept her there.

"It's okay kiddo. Axel's got it from here".

She didn't bother to protest because her head hurt and she'd do anything to cover it with her pillow right about now. Marlene left with a nod and Axel closed the door behind her.

Rolling up his sleeves and taking off his gloves, he lifted his son back onto the bed. "Alright Roxas, first thing's first. You should take off the sticky shirt".

His shirt was already soaked in tears and snot, clinging to his neck and probably making him more uncomfortable. "I'm taking it off now so relax a bit".

Axel continued to talk to the crying Roxas, just as Tifa would do. Somehow telling him what she was doing for him step by step would help to calm him. Hopefully with Axel, it would have the same effect.

Managing to peel the damp shirt off his tiny son, he removed his gloves to once again check his forehead. Roxas continued to cry but the moment his father's bare hand gingerly pressed against his forehead, his bright eyes rose in curiosity.

_Okay, he's getting better. What do I do now? What do I do - Ahh liquids!_

"Ya thirsty kid? Got some juice downstairs?"

With a finger in his mouth, he bopped his head slowly, tears still damping the rims of his eyes. With a light grunt, Axel swooped him up into his arms and headed downstairs. Roxas nuzzled his head into the crook of his father's neck, his body hiccupping from stifled sobs.

Finally reaching their destination, Axel set him down on a chair while he opened the fridge.

"Okay, we have orange juice, ice tea, fruit punch and milk. What's it gonna be?" Axel twisted back to gaze at his son and for a moment he just stood there blankly. The redhead couldn't help but smile. With a face like that, he was definitely gonna grow up a lady-killer, thanks to his genes of course – ahem.

"Orrenge," Roxas replied and Axel saluted him in response. "Orrenge coming right up".

As the pyro poured the glass, he sighed. _Maybe this ain't so bad after all. Look at that. I didn't need Tifa. I was fine all by myself._

He was beaming with pride as he handed the large cup to his son. He was so lost in his own cloud, the sharp cry and clatter came as a surprise and made him jolt.

"Holy- what's wrong?"

His feet were stepping in the juice that he could've sworn were in the glass and little Roxas once again was screaming his lungs off, clutching his head and mouth.

"ITHURTSITHURTSITHURTS!" Roxas cried and Axel couldn't understand. He set the juice container back on the counter in a panic and ran back to his son.

Gripping his shoulders, he bent down and almost yelled back, "What hurts?"

He was in too much pain to respond. He could only point to his lips and his head and Axel reached forward to still his movements.

_Aww dammit! I'm such an idiot!_

The ice on the floor mocked him. You don't give a kid with a bad cold, freezing cold juice with ice. Most of all, you don't give a kid orange juice when he has cold sores in his mouth. Now he had brain freeze, burning in his mouth and juice all over him. Great Axel – just great.

"Idiot! Roxas, your father is an IDIOT!"

Axel's outburst only frightened him and made him cry harder.

_Whhhyyyyy?!_

"Okay, okay we need to get you clean first. Yeah that's it!" With a new look of determination, once again he picked him up. He held him beneath his arms, his legs dangling and dripping with juice. He held his small body away like a germ.

_My heart is beating faster by the second! Wait a minute – I don't have one so what the hell is this!!!!_

_Bathroombathroombathroom…_

"Bathroom!" Axel pointed out, more for himself than his son, to keep him sane. "Here goes nothing!"

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Dark bagged eyes scrolled up to the clock in the bedroom. His ears were ringing, his black robe soaked with every possible liquid that his son could discharge, and he was miserable. To make matters worse, his son – was still screaming his head off!

Axel so badly wanted to curl up with his son and cry with him. He wanted mommy too. He wanted Tifa. Screw his pride. Screw winning father of the year award. Screw Cloud mocking him later.

It had been hours and NOTHING had worked. Juice only gave his son a headache and a mouth sting. Roxas never really liked baths to begin with so his wild thrashing ended up flooding the tiled floors with water. He screamed and complained to come out but when Axel finally complied and pulled him out, he screamed that he was cold. Now shivering in a towel, Axel ran all over the house with him, searching, looking, reaching for some source of relief for his son but to no avail.

He tried to be mean, he tried to be nice, he tried to coax him with candy and nothing worked. All the poor boy ever wanted was his mother.

Now here they were, sitting on the floor in his bedroom and Roxas was still crying. Honestly, he had no idea how he hadn't lost his voice yet. Tissues were crumbled all over the carpet and Axel's hand was numb from rubbing his son's head in comfort for the past hour.

_I HATE myself…_

Suddenly the door creaked and in popped a brunette head, one that he wasn't very pleased to see.

"Still crying?" Denzel blinked in amazement at the exhausted pair.

Axel drunkenly lolled his head, "Yes, my son is officially awarded with the most moisture in his entire body award. Oh I love this little runt, I _love_ him".

Denzel could only shake his head at him. Before Tifa left, Roxas was sound asleep, clean and comfortable. Now he was sweaty, in pain and screeching.

With a wrinkled brow, Axel eyed Denzel, "What's your problem now?"

"Just wanted to tell ya that mom should be home soon. Don't think she'll be too happy though once she sees the mess you guys made".

He couldn't control himself any longer. His patience had finally evaporated and Denzel left him no choice. Usually he got along with Denzel just like the other orphans but they were just some days, days like this one, when the Cloud admirer ticked him off.

Taking notice of Axel's expression, Denzel gasped. Axel's crazed smile said it all. With a slither of his tongue on his lips, he placed is son on the bed and turned to Denzel.

"Run".

As soon as his fingers flickered again, Denzel dashed outside the room and Axel followed.

"Come on Denzel, let me warm you up with a little fire. I hear your bedroom is cold," Axel laughed evilly and Denzel continued to run. It took a full moment for his own words to hit him and for an idea to register.

Denzel came to an abrupt halt in the hall to look back. Axel stared at his palms in newfound hope.

"Warm up. Fire. HAH, I'm a genius!" Axel praised before he ran after Denzel again. Before the boy could get too far, Axel trapped him in a tight hug. Denzel was confused, but thankful for the strange change of mood.

"I love ya! You're the best!" and with one last squeeze, Axel released him and ran back into the bedroom to his crying son.

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The moment Tifa entered her home, her heart sunk. Her pulse halted and her breathing ceased. Without realizing, her fingers were nailing the doorframe until she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

"What happened here?" Cloud asked, eyes wide at the scene in front of him.

Tifa blinked in shock. The kitchen was full of juice splatters, the fridge was left open, medicine bottles were sprawled all over the countertops, there were orange puddles leading to the bathroom and then water everywhere, all over her wooden floors. It looked like a disaster struck.

Her knees went weak. The deadly silence in the orphanage shook her. It was never this quiet - never.

With the brown paper bag containing her son's medicine, she ran off. "The kids!"

Her feet literally slid towards the orphan's bedroom and to her surprise, they were sound asleep. She was baffled.

"Wh-what- I mean I don't get it. Why are they asleep so early?"

At the sound of her voice, some of the children began to stir beneath their covers. One girl with short brown hair smiled up at her mom and whispered, "The screaming, we couldn't take it anymore so after a while we just fell asleep in here".

"Screaming? What screaming?"

"From upstairs, Roxas was screaming".

Tifa gasped with concern, clutching her chest. "Oh my god, is he okay?"

With a brief smile towards the child, she ran off once again, jumping over puddles and tissues trailing all over the floors.

_Axel, what did you do? What happened? You should've told me!_

Tifa felt the anger begin to grow in her. If Axel was having trouble with their son, he should've told her. He should've called her. If something serious was happening, her and Cloud would've rode home as soon as possible to rush him to a doctor.

Maybe she shouldn't have left him in charge. It was rare that Axel was left to care for their son when he was sick and maybe it was just too much for him to handle. I mean, she loved him but she really didn't want him to force himself to act like he knew what he was doing if he didn't.

Finally stomping up the stairs, she spotted her bedroom door and ran for it. She opened it with a slam, and her heart stopped again when she thought she hadn't seen them in the room.

"Axel? Roxas? I'm home sweetie, where are you?"

Her voice was shaking. Her hands were trembling. Her motherly instinct waving off warnings in her mind.

A movement on the other side of the bed alerted her and she made her way to the other side. She came upon a scene that she didn't expect to see in a million years. Her heart warmed and her eyes brimmed with tears of relief.

"Axel…"

There he was, her loving pyro, sitting on the floor with a blanket draped around him and his son curled up in his arms. Sound asleep and with his thumb in his mouth, Roxas looked just as peaceful as when she left. Axel's palms were on the sides of his head as he slept and she wondered why.

Leaning forward, she brushed aside Axel's fiery hair. His emerald eyes opened groggily and he whispered, "Hey there gorgeous".

Tifa smiled. "What happened here? Is everything okay?"

Axel laughed lightly and hoarsely. "Hardly. The little rascal was screaming ever since you left".

"Yeah, I heard. How did you get him to stop?"

The Nobody smiled slyly as he flexed his fingers to draw her attention on her son's head. "It's a long story but in the end, I got an idea off of Denzel. Since his head was hurting off of a cold and he was shivering all over the place, in my moment of panic, I used my own fire to heat my hands up and hold them against his head. I rocked him a little while and kept my heat on him and eventually he calmed down and fell asleep".

It was a long shot when he thought of it, but it worked. It would help to keep him warm and decongest him. The heat would calm the throbbing in his body and help him breath better. The rocking would lull him to sleep as relief swept over his body.

He looked up at Tifa to see her reaction to his idea and her response was an eager one. Quickly, but gently, she grabbed Axel's face and pressed her lips against his happily. After a moment, still holding his face she smiled again, "Axel – you are the best father ever!"

Axel returned her smile and another kiss. Nothing could ruin this moment. Earlier in the day he had almost pondered why he had a kid in the first place. He had wondered how people could reproduce so many of these things. But upon holding his sleeping son in his arms and he clung his little hands to his father for comfort, he remembered how much being a dad was worth it. After seeing Tifa brighten and kiss him like that, he remembered how much it was worth being the father of her kid. It was beautiful.

However, all good things must come to an end.

A familiar voice rang through the hall outside the door, a voice Axel decided he wasn't very fond upon hearing right now. Cloud's stern voice began to near the bedroom door. "Axel, what is this that Denzel is telling me about you trying to put him on fire?"

_Damn, that kid!_

Tifa's lips then transformed into an 'oh' as she raised a suspicious brow at her lover. Crossing her arms, she warned with a hidden smile, "Axeeeel, what did you do?"

He could only laugh again and then he cleared his throat.

"I'm uhh the best father ever?"

He was really in for it now….

**--------------------------------------------------------**

**Lotsa fluffy stuff, humor is not always my best department unless it comes to me naturally but this was a muse I've been wanting to tend to for a while. I love little Roxas. Btw Happy Holidays everyone! Enjoy and have fun!**


	4. Chapter 4 : Theme 39

**I've decided that until I get other ideas, I'll be posting drabbles inspired by the club's theme challenge here. This one's dedicated to blue-pretear on DA for coming up with this theme.**

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**Theme # 39: Angels on Telephone Wires**

Axel never knew. And he never believed. In himself, and what was inside of him. It wasn't until he saw her that night. He learned that angels landed on telephone wires.

She didn't ride along a cloud, and she didn't swoop in with feathered wings. All of that was a hoax. The sky was not bright with sunlight, nor was she clothed in silk woven robes. Actually, it was almost the entire opposite.

The sky was black that night. Whispers of rolling gravel and destitution roamed the concrete streets. The chilled wind pushed against his back, and the careless Nobody sought warmth in the stick of nicotine smoking from his smirking lips. The sound of lapping wires and a spark from the sky coaxed his gaze upward.

That was when he saw her.

She landed lightly, gracefully, as if the wind was no element against her. The murky skies suited her leather bound body. Flittering like a songbird, the slick woman thrust her fiery fists in jabs, her heart pumped with hastened love. Her huffs as she sparred sounded like strings plucked from a golden lyre and when she looked down to meet his eyes, she recognized the emotion that even _he_ could not decipher.

It was like she could _see through_ his very being.

Crouching, the woman held onto the top of the wooden pole she was perched upon. With the tilt of her head, Axel found himself readily swayed by her charm.

"You look like a stray," she laughed.

"Something like that," the redhead admitted. Flicking down his cigarette, the man could not tear his eyes from her. Her long hair trickling its strands against her cheeks, there was no way he could resist such a sight- heart or not.

The brunette hummed, bringing a pleased finger to the pout of her bottom lip. With a smile, she offered, "Need a roof over your head for the night?"

Suspicious, Axel asked, "And where might that be, beautiful?"

"Seventh Heaven."

He had no idea _what_ that was. _Where_ it was. And frankly, at that very moment, he could care _less_ about the insignificant details. If there was a heaven for him, and there was more than one, than the seventh is where he wanted to be. If that was where _she_ was.

"Well?"

Confirming his decision, he warped beside her, hoping to catch her off guard. Instead she stood in awe for a moment, watching as he settled onto the wires. With another light laugh, she straightened up.

"Let's see if you can keep up with me."

Within moments, she took off. Speed snapping at her heels, she skipped across wires, roofs and ledges with ease. When she hopped a certain distance from him, she swiveled to him with a sweet gesture.

"Come."

And he followed her. To Heaven. Her movements soundless and weightless, her body floating and sifting through the tops of the slumbering city, people resided in their homes unaware-

Unaware that there was an angel riding along the telephone wires…


	5. Chapter 5 : Theme 42

**This is more of a oneshot, than a drabble. I decided to go for an AU setting and a literal interpretation for this one. Of course, I had to include some KH-ish elements.**

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**Theme # 42: Hold your breath!**

"Come along, dear. There's a better deal across the street," commented a typical mother, clinging to her child's shoulders possessively as she passed a wary glance at the young men down the aisle. Taking note of the woman's bias attitude with a roll of his eyes, Axel scoffed, pinning a cigarette between his lips.

"What's _her_ problem?" He scoffed in disgust. Sensing his friend's anger rise, Demyx swatted the subject away while he shuffled through the collection of instant noodles on the shelves.

"Don't pay her any mind. Besides, maybe there _is_ a sale across the street."

The redhead cringed at his friendly sarcasm. "Right. And I'm sure the looks she was givin' were because she really liked our hair, too. Did you see that kid? Looked like he was gonna piss himself just being a few feet away from us."

"Hey, do you like shrimp or chicken better?"

"Dem-"

"Or maybe we should go for the beef."

"Never mind. I'm gonna go get a new pack. On my last fix."

Irritated that his companion was taking the situation so lightly, Axel made his way toward the entrance of the grocery store. People. The made his stomach churn sometimes.

He was used to it though. He was never the kid who got on the sports teams or the kid who attended the spelling bees. Managing to pull through high school with passing grades, he found himself wasting time with this band of theirs. They probably weren't that good, hell, even if they were, no one was going to crack them a deal to stardom. So, for now they were broke, playing in a bar or two when someone was gracious enough to hire 'em for a gig.

It was a bit unnerving not knowing what the next day would bring, but that's what Axel liked about his life. Unpredictable- and whatever _he_ made out of it.

The people around that steered clear from them because of the chains on their jeans, the spiked hair, and the ink running down their arms didn't know talent when they saw it. Despite what people thought, Axel considered himself to be a decent guy, I mean, it's not like he was a _murderer_ or something. He looked out for the guys in the band, and Demyx, he was as gentle as they come, would take every stray kitten home if the guys didn't stop him.

Talking about kittens, he'd have to remind Demyx to pick up a carton of milk for the one cat they _did_ let him save.

_Thank you, Roxas. No help at all._

The man sighed inwardly. What was he going to do with those guys? Well, at least cute, fluffy animals were known to attract women, and that would work too if Demyx didn't hog the fur ball at home and refuse to let it roam the "filthy, cruel, and cold streets again," as he called it.

As the redhead approached the shelves by the cashier, the sliding doors opened with a hiss. Usually too absorbed in his own thoughts to care, this time, the sight entering the store froze his movements. His hand lingered in the air above the rows of cigarette brands and upon crossing gazes with her, Axel stared foolishly.

She smiled.

Blinking, he regained his composure and lent her a grin. Long, dark hair down to her waist, like black coffee, his only remedy for those early mornings, big eyes with the thickest lashes he'd ever seen and a body like a goddess, nothing like the nude posters decorating his bedroom walls. And she was wearing a skirt too, eye candy for him.

Usually, this would be the part where Axel would slyly introduce himself, catch her with the "commit it to memory" before he romanced her to his apartment for the night. His legs wouldn't move though, and as much as he wanted nothing more than to stare at those slender, fleshy legs of hers, his eyes were captivated by nothing, but her smile.

It was so- what was the word? Refreshing? No. That sounded stupid. Pure? Maybe. Whatever the word was, he could swear his heart stopped beating for a few seconds when he met her eyes.

Unfortunately, she had someone with her. A younger girl looking more about Demyx's age and noticing that the woman lured his attention, she instantly latched herself to her.

"Come on, Tifa. You have enough problems on your hands."

Taking a moment to feel offended because the affect of seeing the beautiful woman hadn't quite worn off, Axel shook his head.

"Hey-"

Before his anger could set in, and Demyx could poke his head from the aisle to calm him, the woman hushed her companion. Giving him an apologetic nod, she whispered, "I'm sorry. Don't listen to her. Just pay us no mind."

As the pair of girls entered another aisle, he heard the woman scolding her younger girl friend.

"Yuffie! That was rude!"

"Come on, Tifa. The guy looks like he uses a bottle of gel a day for that bleached hair-do of his."

"Maybe, it's natural."

"Natural my ass."

"Hey. You should never judge a book by its cover."

"And that's why you're dealing with Cloud, who still hasn't made a move yet."

There was an awkward silence. As Axel slipped his way unnoticed on the other side, pretending to be looking at – where was he – deodorant – _Great_, he thought, his ears tuned into their conversation.

"He's just unsure of himself, I guess."

"Well, you're never gonna find a nice guy if you stay waiting for him to be _sure_," Yuffie snapped, giving the tiled floor a stomp.

"I know, but- okay. I don't know. Let's just buy the bag of rice, okay? I don't want to cook anything too late."

_Cook? Rice? Heh. At least they get to eat real food. Me and Dem? We eat noodles. Thank Kami for the microwave._

He was trying so hard to catch the words being exchanged on the other side; he hardly noticed when Demyx reappeared behind him with a basket of microwaveable goods. Curiously, the blond peeked through the shelf where Axel's eyes were seemingly glued and gave an innocent smile.

"Wow, Axel. I didn't know you put so much thought into the way your arm pits smelled."

The man almost lunged forward, luckily catching his heart back in his chest before he spun to his mischievous partner.

"Shit! Don't do that to me!"

Aware of the two men on the opposite side, Tifa and Yuffie fluttered away, exchanging whispers between them as they tried not to look back. Realizing that Demyx had scared them off, he passed him a malicious glare.

"Hmm, maybe _that's_ why people are scared of you."

"Shut up. I'm going outside."

"What about your cigarettes?"

"Just get them when you're paying for the noodles," Axel called behind him, exiting the store with his hands stuffed into his pockets. Finding a suitable spot in front of a rusted phone booth, Axel leaned back and searched for his lighter. The city was kind of nice, when he wasn't paying attention to the people living _in_ it. The buildings maintained their old world charm with their striped canopies and stone paved roads. At night, the shops blinked with neon lights and the moon cast a flickering glow along the river's water.

As the man sorted his solutions on how to get their rent paid for the month, he heard the store open behind him with the whiff of cool air. He resisted the urge to look. Just as he suspected, it was them. Amidst their chatter, Yuffie dragged Tifa along who was carrying the bag of rice in both arms.

_Strong girl._

Catching the bits and pieces of their debate, something about this Cloud guy, who, just from what he was hearing, sounded like an ungrateful loser who didn't know what he had until he lost it, the redhead wished he was in a position to talk to her. _This_ Tifa. She didn't seem like the others and that smile- he _really_ liked that smile of hers.

Exhaling a string of smoke from his lips, Demyx placed a palm over his shoulder.

"She's pretty."

"Dem. You're supposed to sound like a man, not a child. Try, 'she's hot', not 'ooh, she's pretty'."

Retaliating with a huff, Demyx slung the grocery bag over his shoulder, "You know what? She wouldn't go for you anyway. You're too mean."

Before Axel could slap him over the head, the sound of screeching tires snapped their attention to the bridge. A truck had lost control, swerving to the pavement toward the civilians. There were screams- one in particular resonated through Axel's body. It popped his eardrums and the sound of it was horrific.

_Tifa!_

It was like watching a movie in slow motion. As the truck spun and the two girls attempted to escape, Tifa was burdened with the heavy bag of rice in her arms, making her unable to run as fast as Yuffie. The younger girl tried to reach out for her, but it was too late. The tires sparked, and came to a halt leaving skid marks on the blackened street. No one had been hit, but someone had fell into the river.

"Tifa!"

A panicked Yuffie looked over the bridge where a few other people were already gathering at the site of the accident. Axel wasted no time. It was instinct. He didn't know what did it to him, but his body moved by itself. Before he knew it, he spat the stick of nicotine from his mouth and was running, the wind scratching at his cheeks.

All he saw were the vague outline of her pale hands, desperately reaching outward. Something was pulling her down.

Before he jumped, he screamed.

"Tifa! Hold your breath!"

He had no idea if she heard him, but for her sake, he hoped she had.

The water hurt like hell when it slammed against him. It felt like spikes of ice had just rammed through his entire front, and if it weren't for the fact that he was _in _water, he might have let a few tears roll down his cheeks. Her body- he saw it. It was a blur, the fabric of her clothing swirling around her as he watched her arms flail, and struggle to swim upward. When he got close enough, a scab blotching the water red caught his eye. It was on her leg, and with the heavy bag of rice combined with the water's weight, it was almost impossible for her to remove it and swim at the same time.

Axel grabbed her waist and yanked to no avail. No good. She would have to loose the rice. Before he could reach for his pocketknife, the bubbles spurring from her mouth made him panic. Whether she held her breath or not, it wasn't enough.

Thankful that he'd taken a few swimming lessons back in school for the sake of extra curricular activities, the man sacrificed the breath he had in his lungs. Trying to signal his intentions with his hands to her face, Tifa spewed out the last of her air. Axel quickly took this chance to capture her jaw in which she willingly opened her mouth. Her fingers clung painfully to the nape of his neck as he huffed into her mouth, teeth grinding and his own body deflating.

_Hold your breath for as long as you can! I'll be right back!_

He wished he could have reassured her with those words because when he tried to break free from her hold and swim back up, her fears made the woman cling onto him. He gave her cheek a firm caress.

_I won't leave you! I'll come right back!_

He forced the limits of his legs and swam to the surface, feeling his muscles throb as he put all his strength into it. Once he felt the frigid air greet him, he quickly inhaled as deep as he could, flipped open his pocketknife and dived right back down. At the sight of him returning, Tifa opened her arms. The thought of it resembling a frantic embrace pained him. If she didn't make this, Axel swore he wouldn't know _what_ to do with himself.

It was hard to see. Hard to keep his body down with the water's gravity trying to pull him upward. With a steady hold on the bag of rice, he sliced the bag from her shoulders. It was happening so fast, and at the same time, as his heart thumped in his head, it must have been the slowest, most agonizing moment in his entire life. Looking up, he could barely tell whether she was alive or not, but at the sight of bubbles again, with her fingers loosening as he raised her to the surface, somehow he felt his heart burst.

It was loud outside. Sirens were blaring in the distance and voices were screeching in his ears. His body combined with hers increased their weight tenfold once he crawled out from the strand of deep water. Falling onto the rocks with her, Axel looked to Tifa in hopes that she'd be recovering from her fall. Except, she wasn't making a sound, not even a cough.

"No!"

People rushed behind him. Those hypocrites. Always glaring. Always judging. And yet, he was the only one that jumped in after her. People. He hated them now more than ever before.

"Breath, baby! Come on!"

He folded a fist onto the crevice of her ribcage, pumping it with perfectly timed precision. It was the first time he'd done it. A mannequin just for the sake of gym class and some credits was a lot different from a real person. Frankly, he was terrified.

What if she died despite his efforts? What if she did survive, but he damaged her ribs from his rusty CPR practice? What the hell was he doing thinking he could save her in the first place?

Her lips were cold against his. He felt like he was kissing metal. No taste. No warmth. Her face, that was smiling at him only minutes ago, the only smile he'd probably gotten out of a good woman in ages because those hair sprayed chicks he picked up from the alleyways didn't count, was now agape and lifeless, like a gutted fish.

"Please! I swear, I'll never smoke again!"

_One._

"I'll buy you another bag of rice!"

_Two._

"Oh- God-"

_Three._

His words were already muffled sobs and just as he felt the crowd suffocating them, and was about to lose it, salvation rung from below him. She spattered up water, her body convulsing and arching inelegantly, but Axel didn't care. He held her fast against him, not caring what her spoiled friend thought, or that mother with her kid, or anyone else for that matter.

When her body eased and the sirens were crisp above the bridge, the brunette met his eyes again. Axel gave her a weak grin.

"Hey there, sweetness."

Tifa managed to crack, "You- you saved me."

She said it as if it was still a shock to her, even though the frightening and distorted image of the man urgently trying to free her beneath the water was a still fresh in her mind.

With a nod, he responded, "Never judge a book by its cover."

* * *

"See? Axel's not such a bad guy."

Demyx glowed, walking casually down the street and purposely lagging behind the pair of people walking a few feet away.

"Yeah, yeah," Yuffie shrugged, not wanting to admit she was wrong. "Bet those helping hands of his are going to reach down and grope her any second."

"Nah. He's not like that, at least, not with her. He _did_ save her, didn't he?"

"Yes. I saw that. No need to rub it in now."

Skipping along and bopping cheerfully, Demyx paid no heed to the irritated girl beside him. Because of her mood, he figured she wasn't going to say anything else, but to his surprise, after a few moments, she did. Well, it _was_ a long walk home so might as well fill it with conversation, right?

"I'm still kind of surprised he jumped in like that, I mean, I'm sure _someone_ would have went in there _eventually_, but it was like, everyone was in shock, you know?"

"Yeah. I'm actually surprised, too," the blond admitted, luring Yuffie's curious eyes to his. She was actually kind of cute when she wasn't being snotty.

"Why?"

His expression becoming solemn, Demyx confessed, "Axel- actually, he hates water."

"What? Why? I mean, how-"

"Mmm, I guess it's kind of like a phobia. His weakness, maybe. Never liked atmospheres he couldn't control and Axel _is_ a control freak."

Understanding and regret dawning upon her, she lowered her eyes to her feet as they walked. Rolling his eyes at her dampened expression, the instrumentalist sought to remedy it with a change of subject.

"Hey, you like noodles?"

She scoffed. "Noodles? Why eat noodles when Tifa's cooking ri- hey - is that shrimp!"

* * *

"You didn't have to buy me another bag of rice."

"I owed ya. Don't mention it."

"At least let me buy you a pack of cigar-"

"After today, I'm quitting."

"It's only a cut. I can walk on my own."

"So, consider this taking advantage of me."

"I bet you've had a lot of fights with your girl friends in the past," Tifa smirked.

"Only with the ones that wouldn't listen," Axel replied, continuing to lend his arm under her shoulders for support as she limped down the street with him. Over his unused arm, a bag of rice was slung over his back. Their clothes were already drying, their hair a frizzled mess and their steps, slow and exhausted. Axel was grateful that she said her home was not far off, or it would have taken an eternity to reach it.

With a lightness to her, something Axel was already finding himself being attracted to, the brunette laughed, "And I bet all of them didn't listen, huh?"

"Yup. Reason I'm a loner now."

She lifted her chin up in thought. "Loner, huh? Sounds lonely."

"Not really. Me and the guys hang out in a crappy apartment and we manage to amuse each other enough to make life livable."

"You and the guys?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. The guys in the band."

Genuinely brightening with interest, she asked, "A band? That sounds fun. Do you guys play around a lot?"

Scratching his head awkwardly, Axel regretfully wished he could have awed her with stories of their rising stardom, grand pay checks and exotic vacations. They were only small town though, and despite only having enough change to eat, and pay rent, he liked it better that way.

"Not really. We get a few gigs at a few places every now and then, but nothing too big."

"Hmm. I see."

Silence fell. Only their strained breaths wheezed between them as they recovered from the accident and took their time getting to her place. The sky was getting dark. The red head's stomach rumbled and he hoped he'd get home soon to have some of them noodles Dem bought.

Tifa's mind wandering, her eyes caught the sight of a few letters etched along his bare shoulder. With an arched brow, she asked, "Nobody?"

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah. The name of the band."

"Ah. I see."

"Yeah…"

Another moment of silence. Axel inwardly cursed himself. He was finally able to talk to the woman, even got the privilege of feeling her curves wobble beside him as he helped her walk home. She smelled sweet, even though they both just emerged from river water, her skin still looked smooth and her presence untainted once warm blood ran through her veins again. Watching as she yawned, pressing a coy hand to her mouth, the man bit his tongue.

He wanted to say something – anything! But what?

Clearing his throat and reminding himself that he shouldn't be this troubled, Axel finally pursued. "So, Tifa. Tell me about yourself-"

"Oh, look! There it is!"

Disappointed that he was interrupted and giving up, Axel followed to the street where Tifa's finger pointed. Squinting an eye, he thought the place looked familiar, but quickly shooed the sense of _de-ja-vu _away. As the pair made it up the steps, the man felt empty when Tifa released him of her weight to lean against the door.

"So?" She asked, as she squeezed her fingers into her back pocket for her keys.

Axel tried to look casual. He noted Demyx and Yuffie were practically two blocks away, almost out of sight if it weren't for the bubbly girl's big mouth echoing within a one-mile radius.

"You have a kitten!"

That's all he heard before what he assumed would be the two energetic teens hitting it off.

_Using the furball to impress the ladies. Good job, Demyx._

Lifting his gaze to the sign above the entrance, Axel stitched his brows together.

"Seventh Heaven?"

Tifa, who found her keys, pushed the door open with a thrust of her shoulder, and leaned on the numbers that marked the address. Folding her hands in front of her, she crossed her bandaged leg over her other as she awaited Axel's reaction.

"This is my bar. There's no one here tonight and Yuffie seems to be busy-"

He laughed, "Yeah. Demyx could strike a heart in a piece of metal if he wanted to. He's too gullible, that kid. Wait - your bar? You _own_ this?"

She nodded, with that smile of hers he was already getting used to. Knocking a knuckle to his temple, he struggled to search out that something that he was missing. There was _something_ odd here. He _knew_ it.

Then it hit him!

"Seventh Heaven! I could swear we played here months ago. It was so dark that night- I don't rememb-"

Before he could question his memory anymore, he caught a suggestive smirk on the brunette before she shyly looked away. Opening the door fully, and flicking on a dim light, she stepped back.

_Is she asking me to come in?_

"Tifa. Have we met before?"

The woman's voluptuous body swiveled side to side, like a little girl who just revealed a secret. Her cheeks reddening with a blush, she motioned to the bag of rice. Her only answer to him was a smile. And Axel knew, by that smile alone, that maybe he'd caught her eye long ago, and he'd never noticed. Seemingly, she was not as innocent as she portrayed herself to be.

"Come in. I'm gonna need a little help cooking," when she tried to take the rice from him, he took her fingers in his and gently refused. She didn't snatch herself away. Instead, she continued to invite him. "And then- you can tell me your real name?"

As she made her way inside the establishment, a flirtatious hand waving him along, Axel closed the door behind him. A clever smile slicked across his face. There was no mistaking it now. She was interested. And he was_ very_ interested in _her_. With a new air of confidence, the redhead followed behind, her fingers acting as the magic wand that had cast a spell on him.

She entered a new room, flicking on another light and deliberately reaching for a pot her injured leg would not allow her to reach. Tifa turned to offer him a suggestive grin after failing to reach it. She'd probably need _his_ help for that, too. Resting a hand on the doorframe of her kitchen, Axel responded with a mischievous grin.

"My real name, huh? Heh, I wouldn't hold my breath."

* * *

**Credit goes to Luv2Game for Tifa's new pet name, "sweetness". **


End file.
